Folding chair bag with funnel mouth and snap closure

ABSTRACT

A chair bag includes a tapered portion that extends along a substantial side portion of the bag from its lower portion to its upper portion. The tapered portion increases in diameter from its lower portion to its upper portion, until reaching a joint located near the upper portion of the bag. At the joint, the diameter or circumference of the bag is preferably substantially the same as the diameter or circumference at a mouth portion of the bag. Snap fasteners are preferably provided from the joint to the top portion of the bag where the mouth portion is located. When the snap fasteners are disengaged from one another, the mouth portion has a diameter or circumference greater than when the snap fasteners are engaged with one another. This structure may improve the difficulty involved with the process of placing a chair into or removing a chair from the bag.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/732,696, filed Sep. 18, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to portable, collapsible camping chairs and more particularly to bags that may be used to store the camping chairs when not in use or during transport.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Portable and collapsible chairs that can be broken down for easy storage and transport are well known. A conventional collapsible chair often includes a foldable chair frame constructed by metal tubes and a seat fabric attached to the seat frame.

The foldable chair frame includes a number of construction tubes to construct a back frame and a seat frame for supporting the fabric seat. The seat frame typically includes a front pair, a back pair, and two side pairs of construction tubes that are pivotally connectable to one another to provide a rigid cross-support suitable as a base that can be folded up for storage. The fabric seat of the conventional collapsible chair is preferably made of durable fabric, such as twilled polyester or another suitable, often quick drying, material.

The conventional collapsible chair is quickly and easily unfolded for use and folded into a compact fold-up structure for storage and/or carriage, usually in a polyester or polyester-like bag. A prior art bag 1 similar to the bags used to store the collapsible chairs is illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the bag 1 is substantially cylindrical in shape and has a bottom surface 5 which the collapsed chair abuts when the chair is fully placed in the bag. The bag 1, like other prior art bags, has a diameter that stays substantially the same across its entire length. At an upper end 10 of the bag 1, a mouth portion 15 is provided that a chair may be placed into or taken from when the bag is stowed or taken out of the bag 1.

Similarly, at the upper end 10, a drawstring system 20 is provided to tighten and untighten the mouth portion 15 when a chair is stowed in the bag 1 or removed from the bag 1. The drawstring system 20, like other drawstring systems known and understood in the art, includes a string or cord (often elastic) that tunnels through a pocket at the upper portion 10 of the bag 1. Preferably, the drawstring system 20 includes a cord lock that allows a user to tighten and untighten the drawstring system 20 in a known manner to open and close the mouth portion 15.

In bags like the bag 1, the mouth portion 15 having a diameter substantially similar to the bag 1 is problematic, as is the drawstring system 20. Turning first to the mouth portion 15, it is often a snug fit for a collapsed chair to fit into bags like the bag 1. Even with the chair collapsed, guiding the collapsed chair into (or out of) the bag 1 is a difficult endeavor. This is particularly true when a user is holding the bag 1 with one hand and the chair with the other, and trying to guide the chair into the bag 1 by himself or herself. The mouth portion 15 having the same diameter as the remaining length of the bag 1 does not make this process easier.

Moreover, the drawstring system 20 adds to the frustration of stowing or removing a chair from the bag 1. The string associated with the drawstring system often gets in the way when a user is trying to stow or remove the bag 1 using the above described process. The string either snags a leg or other portion of the chair, or a user's finger or arm can also snag on the string. This makes the already difficult stowage and removal process described above even more difficult and frustrating. Moreover when the bag 1 is stored, the string or cord can snag on various surrounding objects or structures in a trunk, garage, or other storage location. Existing drawstring systems also often fail. Thus, bags that improve upon the frustrations associated with those having mouth portions 15 and using drawstring systems are desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The folding chair bag hereof improves upon those that have been employed by spectators, outdoorspeople, tailgaters, and the like, such as those described above. More particularly, the improved chair bag hereof includes a tapered portion that extends along a substantial side portion of the bag from its lower portion to its upper portion. The tapered portion includes a diameter or circumference that increases from its lower portion to its upper portion, until reaching a joint located near the upper portion of the bag.

At the joint, the diameter or circumference of the bag is preferably substantially the same as the diameter or circumference at a mouth portion of the bag. This mouth portion, as well as the diameter or circumference of the bag at the location of the joint, is preferably greater than the diameter or circumference of the mouth portion 15 of the prior art bag 1 in order to help facilitate placing a chair into, or removing a chair from, the bag.

Along the side of the bag, snap fasteners are provided from the joint to the top portion of the bag where the mouth portion is located. The snap fasteners are preferably of the type known and understood in the art that include a releasably attachable male and female portion. When the snap fasteners are disengaged from one another, the mouth portion has a diameter or circumference greater than when the snap fasteners are engaged with one another. This structure may improve the process of placing a chair into the bag or may make removing a chair from the bag simpler than when the prior art bag 1 is used. Further, when the snap fasteners are engaged with one another, the mouth portion of the bag preferably has a diameter smaller than that of the chair placed therein to prevent the chair from falling out of the bag during carriage or storage.

Moreover, the snap fasteners that are used in the improved bag hereof preferably have a lower profile than the draw string system 20 used in the prior art bag 1 and bags similar thereto. As such, when a chair is placed in the bag or removed from the bag, the snap fasteners are much less likely to snag either of the chair or surrounding structures. This also further improves the process of placing a chair into the bag or removing a chair from the bag.

Finally, the use of snap fasteners makes transporting the chair easier, as there is no dangling string from the draw string system 20 used in the prior art bag 1 that can snag other objects as the chair is being transported.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a prior art folding chair bag;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a folding chair bag with a funnel mouth and snap closures constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the folding chair bag of FIG. 2 in its open configuration;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the folding chair bag of FIG. 3 having received a chair therein; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the folding chair bag of FIG. 3 in its closed configuration.

While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, a specific embodiment thereof is shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description presented herein are not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiment disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. For purposes of clarity in illustrating the characteristics of the present invention, proportional relationships of the elements have not necessarily been maintained in the drawing figures.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 2 illustrates a folding chair bag having a funnel mouth and snap closure referred to herein as bag 25. Like the prior art bag 1, the bag 25 may be used to stow or transport a folding chair when the chair is either stored or in carriage, features a strap member 26 preferably made of a nylon-like material that can aid the user in transporting the chair during carriage, and features a hook member 27 preferably made of a nylon-like material so that the bag may be hung on a wall or another location during storage. The strap member 26 and the hook member 27 are arranged in a manner that orients the mouth of the bag away from the ground during use, preventing the chair from falling out of the bag.

Unlike the prior art bag 1, however, the bag 25 includes a tapered portion 30 located between a lower portion 35 and an upper portion 40 of the bag 25. The tapered portion 30 is preferably a portion of the bag 25 that has an increasing diameter from a lower portion 35 of the bag 25 toward an upper portion 40. The tapered portion 30 is preferably substantially closed, meaning that it includes a stitched seam or other attachment causing the tapered portion 30 to be uniformly closed and inaccessible around its circumference.

At the upper portion 40, a mouth portion 45 similar to the mouth portion 15 of the bag 1 is provided. However, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2, the mouth portion 45 of the bag 25 preferably has a diameter or circumference greater than the diameter or circumference of the bag 25 near its lower portion 35 in order to facilitate putting a chair into the bag 25 or removing a chair from the bag 25.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tapered portion 30 preferably increases in diameter or circumference until it reaches a joint 50 of the bag 25 where the bag 25 preferably is no longer substantially closed around its circumference, as described below. At the joint 50, the tapered portion 30 preferably stops increasing in diameter or circumference, and the bag 25 has a diameter or circumference at the joint 50 that is substantially similar to the mouth portion 45. Moreover, at the joint 50, snap attachments 55, 60 (illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4) are provided that are placed along the upper portion 40 of the bag 25 continuously upwards up to the mouth portion 45. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, two snap fasteners 55, 60 are illustrated.

As shown in FIG. 3, the bag 25 may include a first pair of fasteners, 55A and 60A, attached along the vertical seam of the mouth portion 45. In addition, there are preferably two more sets of fasteners, 55B, 55C, 60B, and 60C, attached along the horizontal seam of the mouth portion 45. In alternative embodiments, more or fewer fasteners such as the fasteners 55, 60 may be provided above the joint 50.

As known and understood in the art, the snap fasteners 55 are preferably female members that may selectively receive the male snap fasteners 60 when the snap fasteners 55 are placed on top of the snap fasteners 60 and pushed downwardly. As such, with sufficient force, the snap fasteners 55, 60 may be selectively engageable with one another.

When the snap fasteners 55, 60 are disengaged from one another, a first portion 65 of the bag 25 may be disengageable from a second portion 70 of the bag member 25, wherein the first portion 65 may include the male snap fastener 60, while the second portion 70 may include the female snap fasteners 55. When the first portion 65 is disengaged and pulled away from the second portion 70, a gap 75 is preferably provided between the first and second portions 65, 70.

When the first and second portions 65, 70 are pulled outwardly and away from one another, the mouth portion 45 preferably has an increased circumference, as shown in FIG. 4. With the mouth portion 45 having a greater circumference as a result of the first portion 65 being pulled outwardly and away from the second portion 70, it is preferably substantially easier to insert a chair 80 into the bag 25, or remove a chair like the chair 80 therefrom. Moreover, the snap attachments 55, 60 (which preferably have a much lower profile than the draw string system 20) are unlikely to snag either the chair 80 or surrounding structures as the chair 80 is placed into or removed from the bag 25.

As shown in FIG. 5, when a user wishes to store or carry the bag 25 including the chair or another chair 80 there within, he or she must simply snap the snap fasteners 55, 60 to one another in a known manner, preferably with snap fastener 55A attaching to snap fastener 60A, snap fastener 55B attaching to snap fastener 60B, and snap fastener 55C attaching to 60C. As illustrated in FIG. 5, engaging the snap fasteners 55, 60 to one another in this manner constricts the mouth portion 45 of the bag 25 to a diameter of less than the chair 80 to prevent the chair 80 from falling out of the bag during storage or carriage.

To remove the chair 80 from within the bag 25, the user may simply unsnap the fasteners 55, 60 from one another and pull the chair out of the bag 25. As shown in FIG. 5 in this configuration, the snap fasteners 55, 60 have a lower profile and are less obstructive that a drawstring system such as the drawstring system 20. This preferably makes removal and storage of a chair such as the chair 80 easier.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the various embodiments of the present invention are well adapted to attain all the objectives and advantages hereinabove set forth together with still other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the present structures. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations of the present embodiments are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Since many possible embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, it is also to be understood that all disclosures herein set forth or illustrated in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. The various constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts, principles and scope of the present invention.

As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required.”

Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present constructions will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bag for storing a collapsible chair therein, the bag including: a lower portion; an upper portion including a mouth portion for receiving the collapsible chair, the upper portion having a diameter greater than the lower portion.
 2. The bag of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the bag includes snap fasteners on either side of a joint along the upper portion of the bag that are selectively fastenable with one another.
 3. The bag of claim 2, wherein the snap fasteners can assume a first position where the fasteners are engaged with one another and a second position where the fasteners are disengaged from one another.
 4. The bag of claim 3, wherein when the snap fasteners are in the first position, a diameter of the mouth portion of the bag is less than or equal to the lower portion of the bag.
 5. The bag of claim 3, wherein when the snap fasteners are in the second position, the mouth portion of the bag has a diameter equal to or greater than the upper portion of the bag.
 6. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bag includes one strap member attached to bag that may be used to carry the bag.
 7. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bag includes a hook member at the upper portion of the bag that may be used to hang the bag from a surface.
 8. A bag for storing a collapsible chair therein, the bag including: snap fasteners along a side portion of the bag extending along a joint along the upper portion of the bag that are selectively fastenable with one another.
 9. The bag of claim 8, wherein the bag includes: a lower portion; an upper portion including a mouth portion having a diameter greater than the lower portion.
 10. The bag of claim 8, wherein the snap fasteners can assume a first position where the fasteners are engaged with one another and second position where the fasteners are disengaged from one another.
 11. The bag of claim 10, wherein when the snap fasteners are in the first position, a diameter of the mouth portion of the bag is less than or equal to the lower portion of the bag.
 12. The bag of claim 10, wherein when the snap fasteners are in the second position, the mouth portion of the bag has a diameter equal to or greater than the upper portion of the bag.
 13. The bag of claim 8, wherein the bag includes one strap member attached to bag that may be used to carry the bag.
 14. The bag of claim 9, wherein the bag includes a hook member at the upper portion of the bag that may be used to hang the bag from a surface.
 15. A bag for storing a collapsible chair therein, the bag including: a lower portion; an upper portion including a mouth portion having a diameter greater than the lower portion; a tapered portion between the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the tapered portion increases in diameter from the lower portion to the upper portion until reaching a joint located near the upper portion; and snap fasteners along a side portion of the bag from the joint along the upper portion of the bag that are selectively fastenable with one another.
 16. The bag of claim 15, wherein the snap fasteners can assume a first position where the fasteners are engaged with one another and second position where the fasteners are disengaged from one another.
 17. The bag of claim 16, wherein when the snap fasteners are in the first position, a diameter of the mouth portion of the bag is less than or equal to the lower portion of the bag.
 18. The bag of claim 16, wherein when the snap fasteners are in the second position, the mouth portion of the bag has a diameter equal to or greater than the upper portion of the bag.
 19. The bag of claim 15, wherein the bag includes one strap member attached to bag that may be used to carry the bag.
 20. The bag of claim 15, wherein the bag includes a hook member at the upper portion of the bag that may be used to hang the bag from a surface. 